


He fleeth to the spaceless

by MercyBuckets



Category: The Expanse (TV), The Expanse Series - James S. A. Corey
Genre: Alien Life (mentioned), And possibly also Abbadon's Gate just to be on the safe side, As A Topic, Big Questions, Diplomacy & Politics, Expanse Valentine's Day Exchange, F/M, Family, Fluff, Or As Fluffy As I Really Get, Poetry, Slice of Life, Spoilers for Leviathan Wakes & Caliban's War, Swearing, Women In Power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 14:19:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9660920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercyBuckets/pseuds/MercyBuckets
Summary: “I think, what you need is some poetry,” said Arjun.He was serious of course, that was why she loved him.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For maedhros-nelyafinwe on Tumblr for the Expanse Valentine's Day Exchange who requested a canon couple and a nebula because we were in space. I'm sorry that the nebula only got a bare mention (and that we weren't actually in space) but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
> 
> Also you probably don't to know how much I read about Sufi poetry to write this 800 word fic! The title is from the poem by Jellaludin quoted at the beginning. Also I don't speak Hindi and transliteration is a pain so it's entirely possible that's I've butchered the endearments and if so, I apologize.

> If thou seek Him in the spaceless, He beckoneth to Space:  
>  When thou seekest Him in Space, He fleeth to the spaceless….
> 
> \- Jellaludin (1207–1273)

 

“Excuse me for saying so Madam Undersecretary, but you seem, umm––perturbed? Is there anything I can get you?”

Chrisjen Avasarala let out an irritated breath. It wasn’t enough that she was stuck in this government shit heap on her husband’s birthday but they had to send nosy do-gooders to wait on her too?

“Get out,” she said to the pitiful looking fresh faced girl at the door.

What was her name. Emily, Lily, Emma, something bland.

“Did I overstep?” asked the girl looking anxious.

Where did they find these kids? No spine, no fire, just ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘no ma’am’ and they couldn’t even do that right.

“Get out,” repeated Avasarala slowly. ‘And do not return unless you have a stamped and sealed letter from the fucking president declaring war on the rest of the goddamn solar system. Do you understand?”

The girl’s eyes welled with tears but she managed to hold them back as she fled Avasarala office.

Finally, some fucking peace and quiet.

Her terminal rang. Arjun. She picked up.

“I am sorry I won’t be home tonight,” she said before he could say anything.

He looked at her so softly that she almost felt like her could reach through the screen and be there with him.

“I am sure you are terrorizing your poor staff,” said Arjun with a faintly reproachful smile.

Eva, that was the girl’s name. Avasarala didn’t feel guilty but she did make a note to bully someone into buying the girl coffee. Maybe if she got some more caffeine into her she’d stop being such a mouse.

“It is not the staff who are the real problem,” said Avasarala. “But the politicians are too stoic.”

“And what crisis are you solving today _sanam_?” asked Arjun.

Where to fucking begin.

“I am trying to keep the boys from getting caught with their pants down over this Venus situation but for some reason they seem to have lost capacity for fucking rational thought.”

Venus. The planet that everyone was thinking of even if no one wanted to admit it. She never thought she’d long for the days when a civil war with Mars was the most pressing thing on her agenda. Fucking aliens. Couldn’t have waited a few hundred years and leave her to do her fucking job in peace?

“I think, what you need is some poetry,” said Arjun.

He was serious of course, that was why she loved him.

“And why pray tell do I need poetry?” she asked.

“Poetry is intended to communicate the non-rational in common language,” said Arjun. ‘And what could be more non-rational than the dubious combination of extraterrestrial life and the government.”

“I love you,” said Avasarala feeling a rush of emotion that she could barely contain.

“I know you do,” he said fondly. “You just need to remind those boys that there is more than one way of seeing something. Consider space, the UN looks at the sky and sees impending war, the scientist sees a protoplanetary nebula, the poet sees inspiration.”

“And what do you see?” asked Avasarala.

Arjun sighed.

“Potential, for good or ill” he said after a moment. “It is up to people like you to direct it.”

Avasarala shook her head.

 “I wish I was home,” she said. “Hug Kiki for me?”

“You’ll be home soon enough Chrisjen,” said Arjun. “We’ll save you some food.”

“You aren’t letting Ashanti cook are you?” she asked. “I’d like to survive to handle the next crisis.”

“I’ll protect you _meri sanam_ ,” he said. “Don’t worry.”

She didn’t want to hang up, but she knew she had to.

“Get back to the celebration,” she ordered him. “I will wake you when I get home if you wish.”

“I _do_ wish,” said Arjun. “I love you Chrisjen. Come home soon.”

He hung up.

“Happy Birthday,” said Avasarala.

It was sappy and altogether unlike her but she did it anyway.

“Eva,” she yelled.

The was a clattering sound and the door opened. The girl’s cheeks were very red and her spine was uncomfortably straight. She wisely didn’t point out that Avasarala had sent her away and told her not to come back. Maybe she had some promise after all.

“Madam Undersecretary,” she said forcing herself to look up.

“I need you to find me some fucking poetry,” said Avasarala.

 

 


End file.
